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A look into Santa Claus and his New Generative AI-powered Workshop

2023 has been a breakout year for generative AI technologies, and as the Holiday Season falls upon us, we can’t help but think about how Santa and his helpers are utilizing AI to help improve the efficiency of his factory up in the North Pole. Naughty and Nice List Generator With AI’s ability to detect sentiment and intent, we won’t be surprised if Santa is using it to analyze children’s behavior and generate his Naughty and Nice List with improved accuracy. Gift Recommendation System Santa can use generative AI to analyze the wish lists of children worldwide and generate personalized gift recommendations based on their interests, age, and behavior throughout the year. This could help Santa create a more customized and enjoyable gift-giving experience. Generative AI Toy Designer Santa can use generative AI image generation technologies to help his elves design new toys that he can 3D print in his workshop. Generative AI Personalized Christmas Cards Expect more insightful and touching letters from Santa this Christmas as he makes use of LLM and generative AI to automatically write Christmas cards for you and your family. Route Optimization Santa might just finish his rounds earlier than usual this year as he utilizes AI to optimize his delivery routes across the globe. EACOMM has dedicated much of 2023 to developing software that taps generative AI to create software tools for its partners and clients similar to what Santa may have installed in his workshop. In June, EACOMM released the Chaital Generative AI-powered Chatbot, now being used not only as a website and Facebook Messenger chatbot but also as an automated tech support and help desk assistant built into software systems deployed with our clients. Running for several months now is a system developed for Google Maps that uses generative AI to detect and categorize social media posts from Metro Manila’s light rail providers and convert them to GTFS-RT service alerts. The second half of the year saw the prototype release of Elisha Insights, Elisha Telecom’s flagship AI analytics system that automates quality assurance and compliance monitoring in contact centers. Elisha Insights is currently being piloted in several large contact centers in the Philippines and the United Kingdom, with an imminent production release in January 2023. Nearing completion is a multi-media workflow manager for our partner Academ-e that would radically accelerate its production process for the upcoming MATATAG Curriculum transition. Through the use of generative AI, the workflow manager automates video asset creation, text-to-speech, and event development of storyboards and quizzes. 2024 should be an even more exciting year for generative AI as it further improves and matures and as companies find more and more use cases for this transformative technology.

The First Philippine Physical Internet National Symposium

In a groundbreaking initiative, a consortium of dedicated professionals and scholars successfully organized the 1st Conference on the Physical Internet, held on November 22, 2023, at the University of Asia and the Pacific in Pasig City. The conference, operating under the theme “Meeting the Global Logistics Challenge in the Philippines through the Physical Internet,” sought to address the pressing issues faced by the logistics industry in the country. The term “Physical Internet” (PI) refers to an “open global logistics system founded on physical, digital, and operational interconnectivity through encapsulation, interfaces, and protocols” (Montreuil et al, 2013). Drawing inspiration from the concepts of the ‘Digital Internet’ (DI), the PI model aims to revolutionize the movement and storage of physical products. This groundbreaking event was made possible through the collaborative efforts of a Special Interest Group (SIG) dedicated to researching the Physical Internet. Comprising scholars and industry practitioners, this SIG has been actively working towards implementing the vision of the Physical Internet for the logistics sector in the Philippines. The conference provided a platform for experts, academics, and professionals to exchange insights, share research findings, and explore innovative solutions. Attendees engaged in discussions on the challenges and opportunities posed by the integration of the Physical Internet into the logistics landscape of the Philippines. EACOMM’s Managing Director, Mike Torres, participated in the conference by sharing how it would be possible to build the System of Logistics Networks. The presentation highlighted the various technologies needed to realize the Physical Internet. EACOMM’s experience in AI, IoT, and custom software development are cited as examples of how Filipino companies, engineers, and developers are ready to help develop this groundbreaking revolution. For those seeking further information, the conference organizers invite interested parties to visit the official website for comprehensive details. The website serves as a valuable resource, offering insights into the conference proceedings, research materials, and ongoing initiatives related to the Physical Internet in the Philippines: https://sites.google.com/uap.asia/physicalinternetph/conference Download EACOMM’s Presentation here: The Physical Internet – Building a System of Logistics Networks

A practical guide to selecting your web frontend framework

When starting a new web application project, choosing the preferred web frontend framework can often be a long and serious point of discussion. In this article, we hope to provide developers with a guide to selecting a suitable web frontend framework for different types of projects. JavaScript or TypeScript When we talk about frontend web development in the year 2023 and for probably the next few years, we’re basically talking about a framework for either JavaScript or TypeScript. The two programming languages are fairly similar, with TypeScript being a superset of JavaScript. This means that all valid JavaScript code is also valid TypeScript code. They share the same fundamental syntax, which includes variables, loops, conditionals, functions, and objects. Arguably all frontend developers would know how to program in JavaScript. TypeScript is not as popular, but as it is fairly similar to JavaScript, most JS programmers can adopt TypeScript given enough time and willingness to learn. Framework Popularity and Community Support The next factor to consider is how popular the framework is and how active the support is around it. The popularity of a framework dictates how easy it is to recruit developers for your project, research and get answers in developer forums, find plugins and extensions for it, and how often it gets updated and upgraded. While there are easily dozens or more TypeScript and JavaScript frameworks around, most web developers would agree that the ones that are currently most popular and most actively supported are React, Angular, and Vue.js. All three are free and open-source frameworks used by a large number of applications and websites with active development and support communities. Hence, let’s focus our further analysis on these three frameworks. What is React? React was initially released in 2013 and is created and maintained by Meta (formerly Facebook). React is often used for creating single-page applications and mobile applications, but it can be applied to various types of web development. What is Vue.js Vue.js (often referred to as Vue) is an open-source JavaScript framework for building user interfaces released in 2014. It is designed to be a progressive framework, which means you can use as much or as little of it as you need, making it easy to integrate into existing projects or start new ones. Vue.js is often lauded for its simplicity, flexibility, and ease of use. Vue was created by Evan You, who also maintains it along with a core team of developers, unlike the other two frameworks discussed here, which are supported by large companies, What is Angular? Angular or Angular 2+ is a complete rewrite of AngularJS and was released in 2016. It is a comprehensive open-source framework for building dynamic, single-page web applications. Google and a group of developers are responsible for developing and maintaining it. Angular is distinct from React and Vue in that it provides a complete solution for building web applications, not just the view layer. It is also unique in its use of TypeScript as its programming language, as opposed to JavaScript for the other two. Comparative Analysis of Angular, React, and Vue Aspect Vue.js React Angular 2+ Initial Release 2014 2013 2016 Popularity Growing rapidly Extremely popular Widely adopted Learning Curve Easier, especially for beginners Moderate; JSX knowledge required Steeper learning curve Architecture Component-based Component-based Component-based, MVVM architecture Data Binding Two-way data binding One-way data binding (Uni-directional) Two-way data binding Rendering Virtual DOM Virtual DOM Real DOM Template Syntax HTML-based with directives JSX (JavaScript XML) HTML-based with Angular-specific syntax State Management Vuex (official state management) Flux/Redux (external libraries) RxJS and built-in state management Size & Performance Smaller bundle size, fast initial load Smaller bundle size, fast initial load Larger bundle size, slower initial load Community & Ecosystem Growing community, versatile ecosystem Vast and active community; extensive ecosystem Mature community, wide ecosystem Integration with Other Libraries Good integration with various libraries Easily integrates with third-party libraries Tight integration with Angular-specific libraries Development Speed Faster development due to simplicity Fast development with a large developer community Slower development due to complexity Official CLI Tool Vue CLI Create React App Angular CLI Selecting the right frontend framework While we have narrowed it down to three frameworks you can choose from, the table above shows that there are still decision points needed to select which three would be the most applicable for your project. Simple Projects = Vue Vue is often an excellent choice for simple projects due to its minimal learning curve. It’s lightweight and easy to pick up, making it a great option for smaller applications or prototypes that will help you reach the market sooner. React is also a viable option and has the advantage of popularity, which makes it easier to recruit and get community support. Angular might be overkill for simple projects that won’t be expanding any time soon. Medium-complexity Projects = React (Vue and Angular as a close second) For moderately complex system development, all three would have their merits for utilization, with React probably being the slight leader in terms of ease of support, developer recruitment, and platform maturity. Vue can still be viable for its faster learning curve, growing popularity, and community support; while Angular is a good option especially if scaling up the system in the near future is likely. High-complexity Projects = Angular Angular’s extensive features and strong architectural patterns make it a robust choice for large-scale enterprise applications. While React and even Vue can and have been used for larger systems, they’re not really designed for this type of scale, and long-term code maintenance and support might prove more difficult. Other points of consideration Team Expertise If your current team is already adept in one of the three frameworks, then selection would obviously skew toward what the team is already familiar with. Do keep in mind the caveats, especially when using Angular for simpler projects or Vue or React for highly complex ones. Integration Requirements If the project will be interfacing with third-party systems, then the choice of framework would

EACOMM presents new AI technology at the 2023 Procurement Summit

EACOMM Corporation, a leading Filipino-owned custom software developer specializing in AI technology, IoT, web, and mobile applications, was honored to be invited to participate at the recently concluded 2023 Philippine Procurement Summit, held on October 23–24, 2023, at the Philippine International Convention Center and organized by the Government Procurement Policy Board Technical Support Office (GPPB-TSO). The event revolved around the theme “Building a Cadre of Procurement Professionals as Catalysts for Innovation and Competitiveness.” The Philippine Procurement Summit is an annual event that serves as a platform for government procurement practitioners and suppliers to converge, exchange knowledge, and explore innovative strategies to transform the procurement landscape. The summit’s focus on building a cadre of procurement professionals reflects the desire to equip participants with the skills and insights needed to drive innovation and enhance competitiveness within their organizations. EACOMM Corporation seized this opportunity to demonstrate its expertise in the field of AI technology and its transformative potential for government services. Senior System Architect Karlo Martin Robosa delivered a presentation on various AI-related projects undertaken by EACOMM over the past decade, with an emphasis on generative AI use cases in the Philippines, particularly in government. During his presentation, Mr. Robosa shed light on EACOMM’s ongoing and past AI projects, including chatbots, analytics, machine learning, and IBM Watson integrations. The 2023 Procurement Summit was an enriching and inspiring event, and EACOMM Corporation is proud to have been part of this gathering of professionals who are committed to advancing the field of procurement. The summit demonstrated the transformative power of procurement in driving innovation and competitiveness, ultimately shaping the future of government operations and supplier relationships. Inquire now about how AI technology can be used for your business. EACOMM offers free consultations, demonstrations, and presentations to key stakeholders to better understand AI technology and how it can be used in both public and private organizations.

What’s New with IBM SPSS Statistics 29: Now For Sale in the Philippines

EACOMM Corporation, in line with its partnership with IBM is now offering IBM SPSS Statistics 29 in the Philippines. SPSS stands for “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.” It is a software program used for statistical analysis, data management, and data visualization. SPSS is widely used in various fields, including social sciences, psychology, economics, business, health sciences, and more, to analyze and interpret data for research, decision-making, and reporting purposes. Here are some key features and functions of SPSS: IBM SPSS Statistics 29 introduces several new features and enhancements. Here’s an overview of what’s new: These new features and enhancements aim to improve the functionality and usability of IBM SPSS Statistics 29, making it a more powerful tool for data analysis and statistical modeling. Users can take advantage of these updates to streamline their workflow and gain deeper insights from their data. By purchasing IBM SPSS Statistics 29 from EACOMM Corporation, your organization will benefit from local support in the installation and use of this powerful software. Contact Us Today to know more!

Generative AI is the Future of Technology

Generative AI, also known as generative artificial intelligence, refers to advanced deep-learning models capable of generating diverse content, including text, images, and more. These models create content based on patterns and information gleaned from the data on which they were trained. This transformative technology has evolved rapidly in recent years, offering applications in various domains. Generative AI Overview: Evolution of Generative AI Models Generative AI models have their roots in statistics and the analysis of numerical data. The advent of deep learning expanded their capabilities to handle complex data types like images and speech. Variational autoencoders (VAEs), introduced in 2013, marked a significant milestone in the development of generative models. They were among the first deep-learning models used for realistic image and speech generation, setting the stage for future advancements. Types of Language Transformers Language transformers, a key category of generative models, can be categorized into three main types: Supervised Learning in Generative AI Recent advancements in generative AI involve a resurgence of human supervision to improve model performance. Instruction-tuning, as seen in Google’s FLAN models, enables models to interact more effectively by pairing instructions with responses. This method allows models to provide human-like answers and perform tasks without the need for extensive labeled data. Future Directions in Generative AI There are several trends and factors that will affect generative AI in the future: Challenges and Considerations While generative AI offers substantial potential, it presents challenges, including issues related to: How EACOMM Can Help EACOMM Corporation is leveraging the power of generative AI in its current and future projects. Completed and current projects using generative AI include: EACOMM utilizes a suite of generative AI tools from Google, OpenAI, IBM, as well as open-source sources, to provide comprehensive solutions to our clients. To cater for enterprises, EACOMM has partnered with IBM to offer watsonx.ai, watsonx.data, and watsonx.governance in the Philippine market. Watsonx includes a studio for new foundation models, generative AI, and machine learning; a fit-for-purpose data store built on an open data lakehouse architecture; and a toolkit to accelerate AI workflows that are built with responsibility, transparency, and explainability. Incorporate generative AI into your business application systems and prepare your organization for the next industrial revolution. Contact EACOMM Corporation today!

EACOMM Corporation is now an IBM Silver Partner

As a partner, EACOMM will be tapping IBM’s decades of experience and market leadership in Enterprise Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Analytics to complement and enhance its custom software development and knowledge services.

Generative AI Technology: A New Breakthrough for Customer Service

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved significantly, with Generative AI technologies like ChatGPT, MidJourney, DALL-E, and Bard gaining global attention. Generative Artificial Intelligence creates novel content based on its training, revolutionizing accessibility and applications of AI. It has transcended from a niche tool for data-rich organizations to a universally applicable solution, benefiting students, designers, and office workers alike. Generative AI’s potential is particularly promising for customer service. Unlike rule-based chatbots, it comprehends context, learns from data, and produces human-like, tailored responses for each customer. Personalized Interactions: Generative AI refines its responses as conversations progress, leveraging customer information for personalized suggestions. For instance, a retail customer querying a previous purchase receives suggestions based on order history, enhancing cross-selling. 24/7 Global Availability: Generative AI overcomes temporal and linguistic barriers, catering to global customers 24/7 in their native languages. This unlocks new markets and expands business horizons. Handling Complex Interactions: Generative AI learns from extensive data, adeptly managing intricate customer scenarios. Its continuous learning improves responses, enabling it to address nuanced queries effectively. Unlike scripted chatbots, Generative AI gauges intent, mood, and conversation flow, automatically escalating to human agents if needed. Limitations and Solutions Generative AI Customer Service Solutions that are available in the Philippines Chaital GPT AI Chatbot: Chaital is a powerful GPT-based chatbot that can handle conversations and interactions via your website, Facebook messenger, Viber, SMS, etc. Training is easy and can integrate directly with your website content or database. Elisha Insights is an AI-driven Customer Service Analytics engine that automatically classifies interactions, analyzes sentiment, and evaluates customer interactions using customizable performance metrics. Both solutions seamlessly integrate with existing systems and offer flexible billing options, ensuring that businesses can harness the power of AI for elevated customer service.

Academ-e will be ready for the new DepEd MATATAG Curriculum

Academ-e Multi Media Solutions Inc. is planning to ensure that its next-generation Digital Learning Materials will be ready and compliant with the DepEd MATATAG Curriculum come next school year. Academ-e’s Primary Interactive (PI) Learning System provides Grades 1-6 students in the Philippines with a multi-modal and highly interactive alternative to traditional textbook-based learning. As Academ-e’s Technology Partner, EACOMM works hand-in-hand with Academ-e’s esteemed content editors and authors to utilize the latest in AI and multimedia technologies to create world-class digital learning materials for Filipino elementary school students. A Digital Textbook Alternative Academ-e’s digital learning materials are tailored to the Department of Education’s Elementary Curriculum. Gone are the days when students needed to purchase and bring heavy textbooks to school. Each learning topic is provided with interactive videos, printable teacher and student learning guides, and performance assessment tools. Teachers are no longer burdened by the need to prepare lesson plans and presentation materials, as Academ-e provides them all. The PI Learning System is designed to be deployed in a variety of teaching modalities. There are interactive videos that can be viewed online or offline, printable handouts and quizzes, as well as the option to deploy all content via a learning management system that can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud. Academ-e Digital Learning Content is available for the following subjects for Grades 1-6: Proven to Improve Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes Academ-e has been in use by private schools since SY2020-2021. Comparative analysis of student grades pre-utlization of Academ-e content against during utilization of Academ-e content has shown time and again an improve of student grades. In early 2023, Academ-e content was tested for feasibility of use in public schools. Across three public schools where Academ-e learning materials were deployed, teachers surveyed observed across the board improvement in student engagement and performance. Suddenly, students were eager to go to school to watch the next interactive video lesson. Ready your school for the MATATAG Curriculum Find out how your school can painlessly transition to the MATATAG Curriculum with Academ-e’s textbook-free, digital mode of learning. Contact Academ-e to schedule a presentation with your teachers and parents today.

A New Mode of Learning through Educational Videos

As children and teenagers spend countless hours immersed in this medium, the question arises: can educational videos effectively teach this new generation?

The Truth about AI in the Workplace

AI or Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the buzzword for 2023. But what do you really know about the truth about AI? What is it all about? What are the risks and benefits of having AI in the workplace? This article hopes to shed light on how Philippine companies can benefit from AI and manage the risks involved in adopting it in the Filipino workplace. What is Artificial Intelligence? AI can be defined as: The ability of a computer system to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. It applies to developing systems endowed with the intellectual processes of humans: Inherent to most AI systems is the ability to LEARN. Referred to as Machine Learning, this pertains to the computer program’s ability to generate insights or predict outcomes based on the data it is provided. For example, a computer program will know what a cat looks like by looking at hundreds, if not thousands, of photos of cats. ChatGPT was trained on at least 570GB of text gathered from the Internet. While some AI can learn by itself, most AI applications were trained by dozens or even hundreds of people. History of AI Types of Artificial Intelligence Narrow AI (Weak AI) Narrow AI refers to AI systems that are designed to perform specific tasks or functions within a limited domain. These systems are focused on excelling at a particular task rather than possessing general intelligence. Narrow AI is the current form of AI in use today and is applied in various industries such as healthcare, finance, and transportation. General AI (Strong AI) General AI refers to AI systems that possess the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide range of tasks and domains. Unlike Narrow AI, General AI aims to exhibit human-like intelligence and cognitive abilities. It would have the capacity to understand natural language, reason, learn from various sources, and perform tasks across diverse domains. As of 2023, General AI is yet to be achieved. Examples of Narrow AI Speech Recognition: Detecting and analyzing what a human is saying and converting it to actions/text. Examples: Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Google Assistant Natural Language Processing (NLP): NLP involves the understanding and interpretation of human language. Includes determining intent, sentiment, meaning, etc. Examples: IBM Watson, ChatGPT Computer Vision and Image Recognition: Enabling machines to understand and interpret visual information. Examples: Tesla Autopilot, Google Lens Recommendation Systems: Analyzes and cross-references user preferences and behavior and predicts/suggests products that the user might like. Examples: GoogleAds, Facebook, TikTok, Netflix, Amazon, etc. Benefits of AI AI offers several benefits across various domains. One of the key advantages is improved efficiency. By automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, AI frees up employees to concentrate on more strategic work. This increased efficiency not only leads to higher productivity but also brings about significant cost savings. For instance, AI-powered chatbots, automated data analysis, and document processing are examples of how AI streamlines operations and enhances efficiency in different industries. Another benefit of AI is its ability to enhance decision-making processes. AI provides data-driven insights and analysis, enabling better-informed decisions. Through predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms, AI can identify patterns and trends in vast datasets, enabling organizations to make informed decisions promptly. Real-time data analysis is particularly valuable, as it empowers businesses to stay agile and respond to changing circumstances. Examples of AI-driven decision-making include recommendation engines used in social media and e-commerce websites, which offer personalized suggestions to users based on their preferences and behaviors. AI also contributes to increased accuracy and precision in tasks. AI systems can perform operations with minimal errors, eliminating human errors and biases that can impact outcomes. This is particularly relevant in fields such as automated quality control, image recognition, and natural language processing, where AI algorithms can achieve high levels of accuracy and consistency. Furthermore, AI plays a crucial role in improving customer experience. By analyzing user data and preferences, AI enables personalized experiences. Recommender systems, for instance, suggest relevant products, services, or content based on individual preferences, enhancing customer satisfaction and engagement. Additionally, AI can assist human representatives in real-time interactions, ensuring seamless customer engagement and addressing inquiries promptly. Lastly, AI drives workplace innovation by augmenting human workers. With AI-assisted systems, employees can focus on the creative, intellectual, and innovative aspects of their work. AI acts as a powerful tool to support and amplify human capabilities, allowing workers to explore new possibilities and push the boundaries of their roles. The uses of AI systems, such as ChatGPT, are only limited by the user’s imagination, highlighting the potential for innovation and transformation in the workplace. Risks of AI The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) poses several risks that need to be addressed. One significant concern is the potential disruption to the workforce. As AI technology advances, there is a growing risk of automation replacing low-skilled and repetitive jobs. This could lead to the redundancy of workers who perform tasks such as first-line customer support, transcription, and inventory management. To mitigate this risk, it is crucial for workers to upskill and reskill themselves to effectively leverage AI in their respective roles and maximize its benefits. Another important risk associated with AI is the potential for bias and discrimination. AI systems rely on training data, and if the data contains inherent biases, the AI algorithms may perpetuate and amplify these biases. This can result in discriminatory outcomes in areas such as hiring, promotions, and customer interactions. It is essential to address these biases and ensure that AI systems are designed and trained in a way that promotes fairness and equality. Privacy and security concerns also arise with the use of AI. The collection, storage, and processing of personal and sensitive data by AI systems raise concerns about data protection. There is a risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, and misuse of information, which can have serious implications for individuals and organizations. Appropriate measures need to be taken to safeguard data and ensure that AI systems comply with privacy regulations. Lack

Introducing Chaital: GPT-powered AI Chatbot For Your Business

We are thrilled to announce the launch of Chaital, an advanced AI Chatbot developed by EACOMM Corporation. Designed to revolutionize the way organizations interact with their customers and streamline internal processes, Chaital offers articulate responses to inquiries about your organization, assisting visitors, customers, and employees with ease. Chaital’s cutting-edge features empower businesses to harness the full potential of AI-driven communication. By integrating the same powerful AI engine that powers ChatGPT, Chaital brings unmatched intelligence and efficiency to your organization. Whether you need a responsive customer support chatbot or an internal assistant for your workforce, Chaital has got you covered. An AI Chatbot that is Easy to Use and Train Implementing Chaital within your websites or applications is a breeze. In just a matter of minutes, you can have Chaital up and running. Simply upload your training data or provide your company profile, test Chaital’s responses in our chat playground, paste the Chaital widget code on your website, and you’re good to go! Unlimited AI Chatbots With a single Chaital account, you gain the power to create chatbots for multiple websites and use cases. Engage with your website visitors, onboard employees seamlessly, provide top-notch technical support to customers and staff, and explore limitless possibilities. Designed For Business Chaital is tailored to suit your unique business requirements. We integrate and customize Chaital to seamlessly fit your organization’s needs. Chaital can effortlessly access your various databases via API, automating its training and storing responses. Additionally, Chaital can crawl your website, ensuring the information it provides is always up-to-date. Furthermore, Chaital seamlessly integrates with popular communication channels such as Viber, Whatsapp, and FB Messenger, expanding your reach to customers on their preferred platforms. Expert Support and Assistance We provide dedicated technical support to guide you through the process of training and fine-tuning your chatbots. Our team of experts is ready to assist you in maximizing the full potential of Chaital, helping your organization thrive in the digital age. Developed by EACOMM Corporation Chaital is the brainchild of EACOMM Corporation, the Philippines’ premier custom software developer. With over two decades of experience in developing innovative and customized software solutions, EACOMM is trusted by Fortune 500 companies and Government Organizations worldwide. You can rely on our expertise and commitment to excellence. Subscribe to Chaital Today Experience the power of Chaital, visit www.chaital.net, and try it out for free or email us at sales@eacomm.com to know about how Chaital can benefit your business.

Job Opening: Junior Web Developer

EACOMM Corporation is Looking for a Junior Web Developer to join its award-winning team. Applicants must have graduated from Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineer, Math, Physics, or similar courses: Job Responsibilities: Qualifications: Interested applicants should email their resumes to admin@eacomm.com or via Indeed.

Job Opening: IT Systems Engineer

EACOMM Corporation and its sister companies are looking for an IT Systems Engineer to be hired as a shared resource with strong experience in managing, configuring, and securing Linux Servers both in the cloud and on-premise. Join our award-winning team of IT professionals. The applicant will be working from Ortigas Center in Pasig City. Qualifications: Responsibilities: Interested applicants should email their resumes to admin@eacomm.com or via Indeed.

Easy “Hello World” Introduction to Angular Framework

Creating a “Hello World” application in Angular is a great way to get started with this popular JavaScript framework. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial to help you build your first Angular app: Prerequisites:Before you begin, make sure you have Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) installed on your system. You can download and install them from the official website: https://nodejs.org/ Step 1: Install Angular CLIAngular CLI (Command Line Interface) is a powerful tool for managing Angular applications. To install it, open your terminal and run the following command: Step 2: Create a New Angular ProjectNow that you have Angular CLI installed, you can create a new Angular project. Replace hello-world-app with your desired project name. During the project creation process, you will be asked a few questions about features to include. You can choose the defaults for now. After project setup is complete, navigate to your project folder: Step 3: Create a Hello World ComponentIn Angular, components are the building blocks of your application. To create a new component, run: This will generate a new component in the src/app directory. Step 4: Update the Hello World ComponentOpen the hello-world.component.ts file in your favorite code editor and replace its content with the following: Step 5: Add the Hello World Component to the AppOpen the src/app/app.component.html file and add the following line inside the <app-root></app-root> tags: Step 6: Run the Angular Development ServerTo see your “Hello World” app in action, start the Angular development server: This command will build your application and serve it on a development server. You should see an output message with a URL where your app is running, typically at http://localhost:4200/. Open your web browser and go to this URL to see your “Hello World” app. Step 7: CongratulationsYou have successfully created a “Hello World” Angular application. You can now modify and expand your app by adding more components, services, and functionality as you learn more about Angular. Remember to stop the development server by pressing Enter in your terminal when you’re done working on your application.

GTFS Protocol: Simplified Mobility with IT

Google and Portland TriMet developed the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) as a standardized format for sharing public transit data. They launched it on December 7, 2005, for the public transportation system of Portland, USA. The public transit industry, government agencies, and app developers use GTFS to present transit routes to the general public as well as for planning and modeling. GTFS allows transit agencies to share their schedules, routes, stops, and other information in a standard format. This allows developers to use this data to create transit apps and services, such as trip planners, real-time arrival displays, and more. A key benefit of GTFS is that it allows interoperability between different transit systems. This means a single app can tap transit information for subways, buses, trains, and even ferries and present an optimized trip using these different transit modes and how and where to transfer from one mode to another. Mobile apps such as Google and Apple Maps use GTFS to greatly simplify commuting, providing the commuter comprehensive information on the public transit routes they need to ride to get to their destination. It is particularly useful for tourists who are often unfamiliar with the language and modes of transportation available in the cities and countries they are visiting. For cities like Tokyo, Paris, or London, where public transportation is significantly cheaper than taxis, GTFS-powered apps allow tourists to independently navigate the city with confidence. Static GTFS The static GTFS protocol consists of several comma separated values (csv) files that model the transit routes in a city or country. Typical information required includes the geographic locations of stops, the paths/routes of the buses/trains/ferries/etc., travel times, trip schedules, frequency of the trips (also called the headway), and fare data. These files are then uploaded to map applications such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, or the open source Open Trip Planner to generate multi-modal trip plans. For technical information on how to create GTFS files visit: https://developers.google.com/transit/gtfs/reference or download this powerpoint. Realtime GTFS GTFS Realtime (GTFS-RT) is an extension of GTFS that gives transit agencies the capability to provide real time updates about their fleet. Information such as expected time of arrival, trip delays/cancellations, service alerts/notifications, and vehicle location can be provided using GTFS-RT. GTFS-RT makes use of Protocol Buffers, a language-neutral, platform-neutral, mechanism to serialize structured data in a much smaller file size, making its transmission faster and more efficient. GTFS-RT as a standard is not yet as widely adopted as static GTFS, with a number of transit agencies offering their own format for sharing real time data as well as ‘rival’ formats such as Service Interface for Real Time Information (SIRI). GTFS RT also presents more complex challenges than providing static GTFS as the element of ‘speed’ comes into play and management of server resources, latency, and software efficiency is critical. For technical information on how to create GTFS-RT Feeds visit https://developers.google.com/transit/gtfs-realtime or download this powerpoint. GTFS in the Philippines With a project funded by the World Bank, the The Philippine Transportation Industry adopted GTFS over 10 years ago. This created a comprehensive model of jeepneys, buses, and trains in Metro Manila (feed is available for download here). Almost in parallel, EACOMM was commissioned by Google to develop a GTFS feed for Metro Manila, which was launched by Google Maps in 2012 starting with LRT, MRT and PNR data. Over the years, EACOMM further expanded the GTFS feed to include: During this time as well, EACOMM was tapped to develop GTFS static and real-time feeds for Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, and Queensland in Australia. In 2013, the Department of Transportation launched the Transit App Challenge to encourage Filipino app developers to develop solutions that utilize the World Bank GTFS data. The contest spawned the creation of a number of trip planning apps, the most popular of which was Sakay.ph. Having had experience in GTFS already, EACOMM entered the competition and won the “Best Transit App” award for its entry, TripBarker. To date, EACOMM has continuously worked with Google Maps and other app providers to provide up-to-date GTFS data for Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, and other cities in the country. Bus Management Information System From 2014 to 2017, EACOMM worked with the Department of Transportation to develop a prototype Bus Management Information System (BMIS). The system required public utility vehicles to be equipped with a GPS device that periodically transmitted their location via a cellular modem to a central server. The system was designed to allow the Department of Transportation and its attached agency, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, to remotely monitor buses and detect violations such as overspeeding and out-of-line (the bus is not plying its assigned route). A few years later, this evolved into the Central Public Utility Vehicle Monitoring System, which was launched in 2021. The CPUVMS is envisioned to actively monitor real-time data from not only buses but all types of public transportation (jeeps, taxis, UV Express, etc.). Both the BMIS and CPUVMS utilized GTFS heavily in defining routes and paths for the various transit modes. As part of the CPUVMS, the LTFRB is also actively plotting all transit routes in the Philippines in GTFS to provide the government with a better tool for route planning. The Future of GTFS in the Philippines The COVID quarantine radically changed the landscape of public transportation in Metro Manila. Major route changes in Metro Manila buses were done, the most visible of which is the consolidation of EDSA buses into the EDSA Bus Carousel. Throughout the pandemic, EACOMM worked to quickly modify the GTFS feed for the Philippines to reflect the new bus routes as well as disable any non-operating routes. The next stage of our effort would be to expand the information in the Philippine GTFS feed, such as by providing information on the larger terminals and stops. For example, very soon your favorite transit app will be able to tell you the location of the stairs you need to go up on to head to your designated

No-Code Development: Free tools for the Citizen Developer

No-code Development means creating interactive software for web, desktop or mobile without having to use a programming language. It is an ideal introduction for people interested in creating apps without the background or time needed to learn programming. The rising popularity of no-code development has resulted in the rise of “Citizen Developers”, individuals capable of creating apps without a software development background.

Selecting the Best Solution Stack for your Breakthrough Startup

Creating a new technology startup is a daunting process. Not only do you need to think of a new and innovative idea, but you also have to create a team, market your idea, and create your application or website. EACOMM, as a custom software developer, is often approached by would-be startups to help them realize their dream. Over the years we have helped create successful startups in the fields of telecommunications, logistics, e-commerce, and marketing. Selecting a Solution Stack is one of the more important decisions we need to make when starting a new software project. What is a Solution Stack? A solution stack or software stack is the set of software applications needed to create a platform where a website or application will reside. Over the two decades that EACOMM has been developing software, we have used several solution stacks such as: LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP): Arguably the most popular solution stack for web application development, LAMP has been around since the turn of the century. Linux is the gold standard operating system for web servers. It is secure, robust, and very stable. Apache is one of the first web servers and despite nearing three decades in existence, is still one of the top web servers being used in the world. MySQL (or sometimes MariaDB) is an open-source relational database that is also nearing three decades of existence. MySQL is proven to be highly stable and reliable as well as fairly easy to learn how to use. Finally, PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor is a server-side scripting language. Through PHP, a webpage can access databases, run server applications, and access server resources. The key advantage of using LAMP is that it is 100% open source and as such completely free to use. It is also quite easy to find developers who know this stack, given its popularity. However, its popularity is also its main weakness, in that it is a common target for hackers and PHP is known to have several security flaws. LAMP deployments can also be difficult to scale once your startup has gained popularity. WAMP (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP): A variant of the previous stack that replaces the Linux Operating System with Windows. This is often used as an initial development environment for projects that will eventually migrate to the LAMP stack once it goes live. The reason for this is most desktops are running Windows. With the familiarity and popularity of the Windows User Interface, it is easy to see that a lot of people find it simpler to deploy and maintain a WAMP than a LAMP stack. However, deploying WAMP in a live environment further opens up your system to security issues as most viruses target Windows-based machines. WINS (Windows Server, IIS, .NET, SQL Server): For large corporations and government agencies, there can be resistance to using open-source applications. WINS is a Microsoft-developed solution stack that, while much more expensive to deploy than Linux-based stacks, comes with support and warranties from its developer. For risk-averse organizations, WINS is a viable platform to utilize, especially if money is not an issue. MEAN/MERN/MEVN (MongoDB, ExpressJS, Angular/ReactJS/VueJS, NodeJS): These three solutions stacks are all built around: MongoDB, a NoSQL database that uses JSON-like document schema; ExpressJS, a backend web application framework; NodeJS, a cross-platform opensource web server; and a choice of either Angular, ReactJS, or VueJS which are all front-end JavaScript development frameworks. These solution stacks have strong advantages in terms of scalability and security. They also allow developers to focus their skills on a single programming language: JavaScript. As a modern solution stack, they can easily take advantage of the scalability that cloud infrastructure offers through virtualization and containerization. Choosing a Solution Stack Choosing the correct solution stack can spell the difference between the long-term success or failure of a technology startup. Hence, one should consider several factors to ensure the solution stack to be deployed is apt for the project: Last Words… Remember that the solution stack to be used in developing the technology infrastructure of your startup is a critical decision that can affect the long-term viability of your new business. While deploying using cheaper or more popular options would help you get to market quicker, it might affect the scalability and performance of your system once your startup gains popularity. Hence, when planning out your initial 1-3 years as a business, take into account how your target growth might affect the solution stack you are looking to use. If you see rapid growth, better to invest in scalable, secure, high-performance stacks from the start. If growth is slower or if the system is not too performance-dependent, then starting on simpler solution stacks would not only save you money but also get you to market much quicker. Start your conversation today with one of EACOMM Corporation’s system architects to find out how best to approach the custom software development of your highly innovative and breakthrough startup!

Author: info@eacomm.com